By Mark LaFlamme,Staff Writer

LEWISTON – The boy who died in a fire on Blake Street on Monday may have gone back inside the burning apartment to look for his younger sister, fire officials said Tuesday.

Investigators said the early morning blaze likely started as 5-year-old Anthony Lilly was playing with matches on his bed.

Minutes later, as his family and other tenants rushed from the burning building, the boy was heard calling out for his sister before vanishing back into the apartment.

“It seems he ran back inside to rescue his sister, not knowing she was already out,” said State Fire Marshal’s Office investigator Dan Roy Jr. “Then flames started coming through the door, and he could not get out that way. He went toward the front of the apartment and into the living room, where he succumbed to the smoke.”

Lilly’s parents, Henry Lilly and Robin Giles, escaped from the blazing building along with their 2-year-old daughter, Carolyn. Henry Lilly was burned after trying to put out the flames and save his son, Roy said.

The older Lilly was taken to Maine Medical Center in Portland on Monday to be treated for the burns. He was interviewed by Roy and other investigators Tuesday and discharged later in the day.

Roy said both parents were convinced that their son had found some matches and was playing with them on his bed shortly before the fire started about 7:15 a.m. Monday.

“The parents want people to know that Anthony was a good boy,” Roy said. “They feel that if there’s any chance this may prevent another tragedy, they want to help.”

Roy said the family had recently moved into their apartment at 214 Blake St. When their daughter found a box of matches on Sunday, she was scolded and the matches were taken away. But investigators now believe Anthony Lilly witnessed that conversation and was fascinated.

“I think that’s when Anthony might have gotten the idea to go back and find those matches,” Roy said. “He was curious.”

About 7:15 a.m. Monday, the boy’s mother awoke to hear him screaming and banging in his bedroom. When she went into his room, she found the bed on fire. Roy said Giles than pulled her son to safety, alerted the rest of her family and ran into the halls to begin warning other tenants.

“She heard her son saying, Sissy, Sissy,'” Roy said. “Apparently, that’s what he called his sister.”

When the boy’s mother turned around, Anthony was gone. His family and the investigators believe he was concerned that his sister might still be in danger and so went to find her.

It was believed the blaze was not reported to firefighters for up to 10 minutes after it started. When firefighters arrived, they found people stranded on porches as flames swept to the upper floors. Several people were saved by fire crews who got ladders up to the porches and led them to safety.

“It was an amazing rescue,” Roy said. “A lot of people could have been killed.”

Roy and Lewiston Fire Investigator Paul Ouellette spent most of the day Monday poking through the burned remains of the apartment where the fire originated. They searched for scraps of metal left behind in case a lighter had been used. Instead, they learned that the boy had likely been playing with matches, which burned in the fire and left no evidence.

“We’ve ruled out all other possible causes,” Roy said.

In both Lewiston and Auburn, fire officials work with parents whose children develop a fascination with matches and lighters. Ouellette in Lewiston and Auburn Fire Prevention Office Gary Simard work to educate adults and children as part of their juvenile fire setter prevention program.

Roy advised people who believe their children might have a problem with setting fires to contact their local fire department for information.